


a rose by any other name

by RottenKidNextDoor (PortalofWords)



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Arranged Marriage Trope, Boys In Love, F/F, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Royal Weddings, audrey and jay are engaged, jay and audrey scheming, marriage as a political alliance, they both love other people, they're all grown up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 19:18:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18723313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PortalofWords/pseuds/RottenKidNextDoor
Summary: Jay hadn't planned on ever getting married. Maybe to Carlos someday, if they ever got up enough courage to tell everyone. But when Jay is forced to wed Audrey in order to ease Agrabah's debt, he's faced with a terrible decision all too quickly: his boyfriend or his country.





	a rose by any other name

**Author's Note:**

> My wonderful beta reader and I checked the published map of Auradon and yes, Aurora's kingdom is called Auroria of South Riding in this canon. Please don't hurt me. 
> 
>  
> 
> Oh yeah, and enjoy :)

The roses had bloomed for the second time that year. They were stunning, all perfumed and petaled, with their unfurled faces bobbing in the summer breeze. And even in his current position, in his current circumstance, Carlos de Vil had to admit the flowers were rather breathtaking. 

Unfortunately for these blooms, though, they just happened to be growing in Queen Aurora’s royal gardens, which meant he couldn’t quite admire them with a clear conscience. Not today. And while he appreciated the cover the flowers gave him - especially when he knew just a few rosebush-trimmed paths away, an army of servants was putting the final touches on a flowery arch and rows of chairs - the scent was almost overwhelming. 

“Hey.”

Scratch that. The voice was more overwhelming than the fragrance. Glancing up, Carlos saw Jay standing at the entrance to his little hideaway. The taller man was right on time, and in the back of his mind, Carlos wondered whether that was the first time he’d ever not been late to an appointment. He’d never looked more beautiful, either, with his traditional Agrabah wedding vestiges all perfectly arranged and his hair done up with a thousand tiny jewels. If ever he’d expected to see Jay getting married, this was exactly how he’d pictured him to look: all jeweled up and shining in the sun. One thing was missing, though, despite the jewels and the clothes: Jay’s smile was nowhere to be seen. 

To cover up the weight that had settled in his chest, Carlos attempted a joke. “They really did a number on you in there, didn’t they?” He gestured to the castle, whose pink-grey turrets rose up stunningly against the skyline beyond the hedges. “Who would’ve thought you came from the island now?”  

Jay barely reacted, coming a few steps closer to join Carlos on his bench. “Not like it matters.” 

“I suppose not.” 

They fell into silence, even though every part of Carlos’ brain told him he needed to talk. This might be their last chance before he officially belonged to someone else. There was so much to say still, and so little time to say it. 

“You seen Audrey yet?” Carlos kicked himself for bringing her up during their last few moments of time together. 

“I don’t want to talk about her right now.” Jay shook his head, the sunlight bouncing off the jewels. “Carlos - I’m so beyond sorry. I don’t know how this happened -” 

“Your country needed you, that’s what happened.” The white-haired man shrugged, running a hand through his curls. It had started so simply, with Ben deciding to reinstate Evie’s royal status to surprise her, officially welcoming her back into the ranks of Auradon royals. Her smile had been bright enough to light up the world. If only he’d stopped there, everything would’ve been fine. But - intoxicated with success and goodwill - the king had decided to return any social standing rightfully owed to the villain kids had their parents not been total assholes. Mal and Carlos hadn’t been affected - at least not at the start - but Jay? Whose father had originally been a high standing royal advisor before his crimes against Agrabah? Well, thanks to Ben, Jay was now among the social elite in a country that had once turned their back on him. 

“They didn’t need me for sixteen years.” Jay sounded bitter, and Carlos couldn’t blame him. They’d spent months going over the facts, failing to find a way out. “And then suddenly the fate of the country ends up on my shoulders.” 

“Very handsome shoulders,” Carlos added softly, reaching over to take his boyfriend’s hand. Just a few more hours of getting to call him that. Just a few more hours until he was married, gone, forever indebted to someone else. Someone who wasn’t Carlos. 

Jay opened his mouth like he wanted to say something else, but closed it a few moments later without saying a word. When he turned to face the freckled man, Carlos was upset to see that he had tears in his eyes. 

“Hey…” Carlos reached up to wipe one away, swallowing the lump in his own throat. “It’ll be fine. Dude, you can’t cry on your wedding day. Actually, you probably should cry, just not over me. Look -” But his attempt at a pep talk was cut off abruptly by Jay’s lips pressing against his. 

_ Our last kiss,  _ his brain couldn’t help reminding him.  _ This might be our last kiss.  _

He tried to memorize every second of it - the way Jay tasted, the way his lips were always a little bit chapped, the passion behind the movements. When they finally moved away, Carlos took a moment to capture his face in memory, too, staring at it for several more seconds.

“I’ll miss you.” The words came without his approval. 

Jay gave him the smallest of smiles. “We could just run now. Go. Get away. I don’t care where. Live happy. Raise a few dogs or kids or something.” 

And Carlos almost took him up on the offer. “You can’t, though.” He couldn’t let Jay sacrifice his chance to be a hero, to save the day finally. “Agrabah needs their hero right now.” 

“They can find another one.” But even Jay sounded unconvinced. 

“Oh yeah?”  The white-haired man shook his head. “Aziz is already married. Jasmine and Aladdin don’t have any more male heirs of age. And who better than the reformed, heroic son of Jafar to make political amends and guarantee the settlement of hundreds of years of debt? You’ve got to do this, Jay. You don’t have a choice.” 

Somewhere in the distance, a bell tower chimed eleven times. Eleven o’clock. The ceremony was set to take place at noon. It was time for Jay to go. 

“You should head back to the castle,” Carlos said softly, hardly daring to meet his eyes. “They’ll be looking for you.” 

Jay pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead, looking almost desperate for a moment. “Carlos…” 

“Hey.” Carlos pressed one more soft kiss to his lips. “I love you. I’m so proud of you. Now go.” 

And Jay finally did stand. For a moment, he looked like the sixteen-year-old kid who had come to Auradon in the hope of burning it down. The familiarity of the expression on his face made the son of Cruella’s heart ache more than he cared to admit. 

“Will you be okay?” Jay’s shoulders were slumped in what could only have been defeat. It was a stupid question anyway. Carlos wanted to tell him that his boyfriend was getting married to someone else, that he was about to lose the one man he loved more than anything. But that would’ve eroded both of their resolves, so he just nodded. 

“I’ll be alright.”

They both knew he was lying. 

 

_______________________

  
  


The knock on his door startled Jay from the stupor he’d slipped into. He checked the time and sighed when he realized that there were only thirty more minutes until the ceremony. Thirty more minutes until he was a married man. No, a married  _ sort of kind of king.  _

Because Princess Audrey was in-line to be Queen of Auroria someday, and by unifying their two nations under this political show of difference, he would fall in line to be at least a partial ruler of Aurora's kingdom. Thankfully, Aziz was already set to be sultan of Agrabah someday, since he’d already played the marriage card a few years ago, tying the knot with some other princess. And while Jay was grateful not to have to worry about ruling both kingdoms, Aziz’s marriage had effectively left Jay as one of the only remaining young, handsome, primary members of the Agrabah elite class without a partner. Well, a partner that everyone approved of and knew about, anyway. 

The knock on his door sounded again, and Jay cursed under his breath, wondering which flustered servant had been sent to adjust his outfit this time. When he opened the door, however, he saw - not a servant - but Audrey herself, looking absolutely angelic in a white lace dress. 

“Aud?” 

“Let me in,” she hissed, looking around as if scanning for anyone that might’ve followed her. 

“I thought the groom wasn’t supposed to see the bride before the ceremony,” he joked, raising an eyebrow. “It’s bad luck.” Her veil was nowhere in sight, and he’d heard the servants whispering about a ten foot train, so he wondered if she’d ducked out on the women getting her ready. If he hadn’t been grappling with the notion that in just a half hour she was going to be his wife, he would’ve thought it was kind of badass. 

“We could use a little bad luck right now,” Audrey told him, still glancing behind her. “Let me in!” 

Jay stepped aside and made room for her to enter, helping her get the rest of her dress in and shutting the door. “What’s so urgent, princess?” 

“You know, if we were actually getting married you’d have to stop calling me that,” the brunette huffed, folding her arms. “It’s not very - you know, professional.” 

“What do you mean, ‘if’?” Jay stood back and looked her over. “Hate to break it to you, princ - Aud, but this wedding shebang is kinda happening. Like right now.”

Audrey rolled her eyes. “Oh, please, like hell it is. This is the stupidest idea our countries have ever had the balls to come up with.” 

“Hasn’t this kind of thing been happening for ages in Auradon?” Jay didn’t remember a whole lot from his history classes, but he did remember reading something about arranged marriages to settle debts and create peace, and it did seem like a pretty good bargaining chip to him. 

“Yeah, but now it’s happening to  _ me _ .” Audrey shot him a glare. “Which makes it like ten times more irritating. Besides, I don’t know why you’re so insistent on having this wedding. It’s not like you want to marry me anymore than I want to marry you.” 

“I so want to marry you!” Jay wouldn’t admit his true feelings for a million dollars. If even the slightest whisper got out that he wanted someone else, the whole deal could be called off and he’d become the enemy of Agrabah instead of its hero. “You’re in line for a throne, you’re gonna solve my country’s debt problem, and hell, you’re gorgeous. Give me one good reason why I  _ wouldn’t  _ want to wife you right now?” 

Audrey narrowed her eyes, cocking her hip out to the side. “I’ll give you a million good reasons, asshole, and they’re all sitting outside in the corner of the courtyard putting on a brave face while you’re up here pretending to be all smooth and chill.” 

For the second time in two hours, Jay was rendered speechless. How the hell did Audrey know about Carlos? “How - I don’t -” 

“Save it for the judge.” The brunette shook her head, looking slightly amused. “Jay, this castle has like a hundred stories and the windows all boast fantastic views of the garden. Did you really think a few hedges would hide your  _ passionate _ goodbye?” 

“I - it wasn’t - fuck.” Jay cleared his throat a few times, trying to regain his composure. He hadn’t meant to out the two of them like this. “You can’t tell anyone.” 

“Tell anyone?” She stared at him like he was mad. “Are you kidding? You actually wanna go through with this? Give up de Vil for good? You’re even stupider than I thought.” 

“Well, what do you care?” Jay glanced back outside. She’d been telling the truth; the rooms did have an excellent view. Past the lawns, he could see the arch and the chairs, along with arriving guests. He wished he hadn’t looked; his guts now felt like they’d been replaced with a weight. “You get to marry a handsome member of the royal elite and fix all your country’s problems, too. What do you have to lose?” 

It had been the wrong thing to say. Audrey’s face got even stormier, and when she spoke, her voice was low with contained rage. “Hate to break it to you, but not everyone is attracted to you. Some of us have - others - we find more appealing than your golden boy muscles. Full offense.” 

Suddenly, Jay felt like an idiot. He relaxed a little bit, even letting himself smile. “You’re in love with someone else.” 

The princess kept her arms folded, turning away from him slightly. “Well, yeah.” 

For some reason, the new development made him feel a little better. Gave them something in common. “So,” he grinned. “Who’s the lucky guy?” 

“Girl.” It was Audrey’s turn to walk over to the window, scanning the grass below like she was looking for something. After a few seconds, her whole body froze and she leaned forward, as if to reach beyond the grass and out into the world beyond. Coming up behind her, Jay finally saw what - or rather who - had caught her eye. 

Walking across the grass, her long dark curls bouncing with every step, was Jane. Jay hadn’t seen her in awhile, and he realized that she’d grown up. She looked older, and although he’d never really seen it before, more beautiful than ever. Even her fashion sense had matured, and today, she’d donned a stunning, body-conforming pale blue dress - a cut she wouldn’t have dared to  wear back when they all were in high school. 

And then it finally hit him. 

“Oh my god, you’re in love with Jane.” As soon as he said it, he knew it was the truth. Audrey still hadn’t taken her eyes off the other woman, who was now squinting up at the castle. Jay almost asked what she was doing, but after a few seconds of darting eyes, Jane’s gaze finally paused and she smiled a little, raising her hand in a little wave. Audrey waved back, sighing out a little as she did so. 

“Oh, you’re  _ in love, in love  _ with her.” Jay couldn’t help grinning wider. “Aud, why didn’t you tell me?” 

“Oh please, we’re not friends,” she scoffed, finally turning away from the window. 

“That’s right,” Jay snorted. “We’re technically betrothed.” 

“Oh - dammit.” Audrey punched his shoulder, but with no real malice behind it. “We have to do something, Jay. I can’t just let her go for the sake of forgiving Agrabah’s stupid debt.” 

“Does she know how you feel?” Jay knew it wasn’t really his place to ask, but he figured they’d already crossed that line when they’d agreed to marry each other. 

“Yes.” Audrey’s cheeks flushed a little. “We - we’ve been flirting since high school. But - we finally did something about it a few months ago.”

“Did something…” Jay lifted his eyebrow again. “Like hooked up?”

“Not on the first date!” The brunette’s eyes went wide. “I meant kissed! I kissed her!” 

Jay laughed, reminded again of just how slow Auradon couples took things. “Sorry, sorry. It’s just, when I hear ‘did something’ I think you guys banged or something. I forgot sex is like a bad word here.” 

“I didn’t say we’d never had sex.” Audrey messed with her hair for a moment, patting it down. “Just not right away. Jane is… sweet and incredibly intimate and loyal and -” 

“So why aren’t you marrying her?” 

“Same reason you’re not marrying de Vil.” 

Jay paused, his heart skipping a beat at her words. He’d thought about marrying Carlos quite a few times before, especially before he knew he’d be hitching it with Audrey. But there was something about hearing the words come out of someone else’s mouth that turned the weight in his gut to butterflies. 

Audrey seemed to notice the change too, because she softened a bit. “Geez, you’re really into him.” 

Jay nodded, his voice hoarse. “Yeah, kinda.” They both stared at each other for half a second as everything sank in. “We gotta do something, Aud.” 

She laughed. “Oh, now you jump onboard with the whole let’s call off the wedding thing.” 

“But our countries -” Jay winced at the thought of being known as the guy who let down Agrabah. 

_ Like father, like son.  _

“We’ll figure something else out,” Audrey shrugged. “Why is this your problem anyway? Wasn’t there some other guy they could’ve sent to carry me away?”

“Nah.” Jay shook his head. “Trust me, I was their last resort. Jafar’s son - even with a reinstated social claim - isn’t exactly everyone’s top choice for diplomatic relations. I guess that’s why I never said anything about Carlos. If I break this wedding up, I’ll fail Agrabah. Just… like my dad.” 

“Then let me break it up.” 

Jay startled some, searching her face for any kind of mockery. But Audrey just stared right back at him, her mouth set in a determined line. 

“Aud -”

“No,” Audrey broke in. “Let me do this. I’m Auradon’s sweetheart. They love me. And besides, even if my parents are mad for a second, they can’t stay mad at me forever. Whereas… the same might not be said for you.” 

A tiny bit of hope fluttered in Jay’s chest. “I - I can’t let you take the fall.” 

“It’s fine.” Audrey actually smiled. “Look, they probably won’t let me be with Jane anyway as long as I’m in line for the throne, so if they disown me, they disown me. At least I’ll have a chance to get my girl.” 

Hardly daring to believe it, Jay took a deep breath. “Wow. I - Audrey, you’re kind of amazing, you know that?” 

“Of course I know that.” The princess patted down her hair a few more times. 

“You know,” he grinned. “That’s something I would say. Too bad we didn’t fall for each other. We’re practically the same person.” 

“We’d annoy the hell out of each other.” Audrey laughed before glancing back at the window, probably thinking about Jane. 

“So, what now?” Jay asked, watching her. “We go tell someone it’s off?” 

“Oh please,” Audrey laughed. “If I had to almost marry you, I’m gonna call it off in the most dramatic way possible. Come on, you gotta go pretend to take me as your loving wife.” 

“Oh boy.” 

  
  


__________ 

  
  


“There are no commitments sweeter or more tender than those you are about to make to one another,” the officiant said, his words resounding out across the gardens. “There are no vows more solemn than those you about to take. The state of matrimony is based in this deep union of two persons who seek to find completion in one another.”

Jay resisted the urge to fidget with the adornments on his sleeves as he stood face to face with Audrey. She was wearing her veil now, and it cascaded down until it met her, yes, ten foot train. She looked positively radiant, and if Jay hadn’t been so excited for her to call it all off, he would’ve thought it a shame that she wasn’t really getting married today. He’d also forbidden himself to look at Carlos, who was sitting right up front with Mal and Evie. Jay had accidentally glanced over once and the look of utter heartbreak on his boyfriend’s face was too much to handle. 

The officiant had finished his speech, and now, he turned to Audrey expectantly. “Do you, Princess Audrey Rose of South Riding’s Auroria take Jay of Agrabah, whose hands you hold, choosing him alone to be your wedded husband. Will you live with him in the state of true matrimony, meaning will you love and comfort one another through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, in peace and war, and thus and therefore honor this binding promise at all times, and be forever faithful?” 

Jay held his breath. What if Audrey had been simply fucking with him? What if she got cold feet and decided she didn’t want to say anything at all? What if he ended up married to her anyway? 

But a moment later, Audrey straightened her shoulders and dropped Jay’s hands. “I don’t.” 

As predicted, there was an audible gasp from the crowd. Even the press, who had been hurriedly clicking away and filming every moment paused, stunned. There was dead silence in the gardens as her words rang in everyone’s ears. Now Jay dared to look at Carlos, whose eyes were wider than they’d ever been. His mouth was open some, too, those perfect lips parted ever so slightly.

When he returned his focus to Audrey, he saw that she’d turned to an astonished Jane. The other woman looked on with a similar expression to Carlos’ and just the faintest dusting of pink spreading across her cheeks. 

“Audrey!” King Phillip half rose from his chair. Jay couldn’t tell if he was angry or still shocked like the rest of the guests. “What are you doing?” 

She gave her father a bold smile. Behind her confidence, though, Jay thought he saw a flicker of fear. “I’m doing what’s right. Maybe not for Auroria or South Riding, but for me. I’ve spent my whole life making decisions for the country, but this is different. This is about my feelings. And my heart definitely doesn’t belong to Jay. No offense.”

Jay raised an eyebrow, doing his best to look as dumbfounded as everyone else. 

“Audrey,” Phillip hissed a little, looking pained as the reporters tried to catch every word. “Audrey, darling, we talked about this. Your heart might not belong to him, yet, but this is the perfect solution to an age-old problem. Agrabah owes us a lot, dear.”

“It’s not perfect.” Audrey shook her head, and Jay saw her eyes flash over to Jane again. Fairy Godmother’s daughter looked like she might cry. “Forcing him and I to marry to solve our parent’s problems? That’s messed up! So messed up! You both got to marry for love! How is it fair that I don’t?” 

In the middle of her impassioned speech, Jay met Carlos’ eyes again. His boyfriend sat up straighter in his seat, and the brokenness from earlier was nowhere to be found. The whole world seemed to disappear as Jay gazed into Carlos’ eyes. Suddenly, he didn’t care about trying to save face for Agrabah. If Audrey was willing to sacrifice her throne for love, he would, too. After all, the heroes had done nothing but use him from the day he was born - why should they get to take away the one person who meant the most? 

“King Philip, sir?” Jay faced Aurora’s husband, who looked incredibly disgruntled now. “This whole political marriage thing is bullshit.” 

The crowd gasped again, and Jay grinned. Suddenly, he couldn’t remember why he’d ever gone good at all. The high of shocking a bunch of heroes was a hundred, billion times better than trying to be one of them. 

“Yeah, you heard me,” Jay grinned. “Bullshit. It’s fucking bullshit. You guys know who my dad is? Jafar. You really want your pretty, smart, wonderful princess - and she is all those things - to marry  _ me?  _ You must be out of your damn minds. _ ”  _

Turning to his would-be-bride, he saw a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as he cussed out her father. He decided, of all the people he had to almost marry, she was the best one. 

“Darling -” Aurora tried to cut in, but Audrey shook her head. 

“Jane!” she cried, motioning to her. “Come here. It’s okay. It’s off. It’s off.” And when Jane rushed up to the arch and flew into Audrey’s arms, Jay figured that it was high time the press caught something worthwhile on camera. As the girls whispered comforts and locked lips in front of the entire royal congregation, the son of Jafar winked at Carlos de Vil. He knew the freckled man probably wouldn’t enjoy being the center of attention, but it took all his willpower not to abandon all caution and kiss the living daylights out of him, too now that he knew they had forever left to enjoy it instead of a few hours. 

To his surprise, Carlos slowly rose from his chair, closing the several feet of space between him and the arch. 

“Carlos, wha -” 

“I told you I would miss you.” Carlos’ voice was low and hoarse, his eyes slightly red up close from unshed tears. “Dammit, Jay. I told you.” And then, he wrapped his arms around Jay’s neck and pressed his lips so tightly against his that Jay couldn't have escaped even if he’d wanted to. 

“I think I wanna marry you,” Jay told him when they came up for air, pressing his forehead against Carlos’ in a desperate attempt to touch every inch of him. “Carlos, I wanna marry you.” 

“Well,” the son of Cruella laughed, blinking quickly as teardrops gathered on his eyelashes. “Why waste a perfectly good wedding?” 

  
  
  
  



End file.
